(Lake Forest) The Chicago Bears are facing an ideal scenario. If they beat the Carolina Panthers, then they will increase their chances of getting the first pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Posted at 3:12 p.m.
Andrew Seligman
Associated Press
It’s a pretty unusual position, but it’s the one the Bears find themselves in heading into Thursday night’s showdown at Soldier Field. If they win, then they will kill two birds with one stone.
This situation is attributable to the fact that the Bears (2-7) have the Panthers’ first pick in the next draft session.
“Just trying to get us to 3-7,” Bears guard Teven Jenkins said. That’s the only thing that worries me, my dear. »
The Bears had the first pick in last spring’s draft after posting the worst record in the NFL. They traded him to the Panthers for wide receiver DJ Moore.
The Bears are still in the race for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. But they could also get it thanks to the Panthers (1-7). Only the Arizona Cardinals (1-8) could beat them for the moment.
Panthers head coach Frank Reich said he did not anticipate the impact of this game on the upcoming NFL draft or the possibility of spoiling the party.
“It’s an interesting question,” he agreed. I guess that’s good, but I didn’t even think about it. We’re just trying to win our next game. Some of the things I said to the guys today – sometimes when you find yourself in that kind of situation, when you think about it, you wish you had the opportunity to go back and change things. You would like, in a way, to make it even or double.
“Hey, let’s give it everything we have in this game. Let’s go all out. Let’s leave everything on the ground! But that’s not real life. That’s not real life in the NFL. That’s not real life, period. You have to take it one game at a time,” Reich continued.
Both teams have several issues to resolve. And among those is the headache at quarterback.
For the Bears, quarterback Justin Fields could have to miss the game due to a right thumb injury. That means rookie Tyson Bagent could get a fourth straight start.
Fields hasn’t played since dislocating his right thumb in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6 of NFL action. The Bears are 1-2 with Bagent – an undrafted rookie out of Shepherd University in West Virginia – as their starting quarterback after he lost to the New Orleans Saints last week. last.
As for the Panthers, they will be banking on rookie Bryce Young, who will try to bounce back after having his worst professional performance in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts last week.
2023-11-08 20:12:09
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